St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-03-10
Ghe GaIedunian.
g. Johnsbury. VI. Thursday. Mar. Ie. 1887
THE BEFORE BREAKFAST FIEND.
Good Housekeeping.


Good Housekeeping.
OF family Jars aud discOrds, hasty
words and actions, hard, uncharitable
a feelings, how many, / wonder, germi-
nate before breakfast Indeed, one
would not be far short of the mark, in
my opinion, to say that One-half the di-
vOrce cases i'm the courts had never been
there had the parties been in the habit
of breakfasting one-half hour earlier.
One can, with comparative equanimity
wait for the sound of dinner bell or
gong. What matter if supper is late
But to wait for ones breakfast-never !
A feeling of resentful OutrageOusness
and of being used badly in general,
takes possession of the average human
creature at this crisis. Bitterness fills
the soul, and one is led to behave in a
manner that is astonishing - after
breakfast.
do not attempt an explanation of
this phenomenon, nor to reason why
an empty stomach, is more than an
empty stomach | call upon your ex-
peTience to cOrrObOrate my statement.
1t is my private, but firm, belief that
the great enemy of mankind sends
forth the widest of his emissaries thus
i early in the morning, when maitland
woman, tOO-is in II cOmatOse state, to
slyly creep into their hearts before
they are sufficiently wide awake to re-
sist their attacks.
Once let one of these before break
fast fiends find lodging, and my word
for il, he will prove good tenant, nor
will he be Outed the day. Some peO-
pie will facetiOusly tell you, in the
event of your possessing this small
ledger, that you got up on the wrong
side, or some such nonsense. AS a
proof that it is little devil in you, let
me assert that you invariably get vex-
ed, and your ill-humor is increased
tenfOld by such harmless remarks.
No one escapes these small imps,-
not even the children. Sometimes |
think that, seeing the innOcents SO
helpless and unresisting, they enter
and operate with hilarious glee upon
their small souls (Which is certainly
taking unfair advantage), insOmuch as
| have seen Il most charm ing, cooling,
placid, altOgethe delightful infant
transformed into a squalling, bawling,
red, don't touch brat
Therefore, in view of these conscious
facts it behOoves us who hold the reins
of the household chariot, or cart-as
the case may be--in our hands, to
shorten the existence of these before
breakfast tiends 10y having early break
fasts. OF course do not mean to say
that you should promptly tiDkle your
bell at four, five, six, seven or eight
o'clock The hour at which the meal
is served is subservient to the pleasure
and business of your household but
whatever the hour at which You
household rise, see to it that the morn
, ing meal is served soon after. No
matter whether your husband goes to
shop, Office or store whether he
breaches, doctors, edits, the time be
fore breakfast is SO much time wasted.
He can settle to nothing, he fumes
the man frets to be off; he champs, he
saws the bit until he is off. Go leis-
urely about your dinner daily, if you
please, about your supper; do any
thing, but as you value your house
hold peace, get breakfast and be
quick about it, too
How to Do 1t.
First, prepare, as far as possible,
DIVER night. The fire can be laid, the
coffee ground; the table set, with
mosquito covering thrown over, or
another table cloth spread over, if you
think the first insufficient protection.
Have the teakettle emptied the night
cooked they should be peeled. Have
? everything laid ready to your hand.
This presuppOses that the mistress is
maid also. If you have servants, the
same tactics can be pursued. Now, to
be in hurry does not mean a care
less, slOvenly toilet (Heaven forbid y.
Make yourself us neat and pretty in as
short time us is possible, then pro-
ceed about your business with cheerful
alacrity.
Also remember this before breakfast
fiend is alert and on the watch. The
fire won't burn! He draws near ex-
pectant. Don't get excited look him
square in the face address him thus
"Ah there you are | know yoI, you
see. Trying to pnt me in Il temper
about poor, senseless fire, are you
But you won't! I'll lay these kindlings
so and so, I'll strike another match ;
there! see how beautifully she burns ~
Meet him in this way and he will re-
treat ignOminiously probably leave
the house altogether. But if he should
still hang around aud eventually find
an ingresS into some member of the
family, don't stop to reason, argue or
persuade; all will be so much good
breath thrown away but hurry, hur-
ny, hurry